Here, the speakers clarified the role of intellectual property (IPR) in enhancing the competitiveness of enterprises, especially in export activities and international market expansion.
At the workshop, Mr. Tran Giang Khue, Head of the Representative Office of the Department of Intellectual Property, Ministry of Science and Technology in Ho Chi Minh City, stated that intellectual property is not only a legal tool to protect creativity, but also a strategic asset that brings practical economic value. “If properly exploited, intellectual property will become a sustainable source of income and a lever to enhance the business brand,” he said.
Giving an example from global businesses, Mr. Khue said that Apple owns more than 500 billion USD worth of intangible assets, mainly from the system of patents, trademarks and technology secrets. This is a clear demonstration of the management and commercialization of intangible assets playing a core role in business growth. In Vietnam, products such as Phu Quoc fish sauce, Hoa Loc mango or Lo Ren star apple, after being protected by geographical indications, have expanded their access to high-end markets such as Japan and the EU, with significantly increased export value.
However, reality also shows that the majority of Vietnamese enterprises, especially small and medium enterprises (SMEs), have not paid due attention to intellectual property rights. According to Mr. Chu Ba Long, Director of An Phat Science and Technology Consulting Company Limited, SMEs account for 96% of the total number of domestic enterprises but most of them have not registered or effectively exploited intellectual property rights. Many units only start to pay attention to trademark protection when disputes arise.
Mr. Long cited some typical cases such as Buon Ma Thuot coffee, which had its trademark registered by a Chinese company in this market, making it impossible to export the product to China for many years. Or the case of Phu Quoc fish sauce, which had its domain name and trademark "Phu Quoc" taken over by an American company in the US market, causing serious misunderstandings for international consumers. These are valuable lessons for Vietnamese businesses when they neglect to register intellectual property rights in key markets.
The European Commission report also clearly stated that SMEs with at least one protected intellectual property have 20% higher revenue than those without any protected assets. This further confirms that intellectual property is not only a legal concept, but also a factor that creates value and real competitive advantage.
However, this requires businesses to have a specialized department for intellectual property, invest in human resource training, and build an intellectual property management process from research and development to production, marketing, and export. Experts also recommend that the State should have a mechanism to support SMEs in registering intellectual property, especially protection fees at home and abroad. In addition, strengthening international cooperation, simplifying protection procedures, and building a shared database on intellectual property are also key solutions to support Vietnamese businesses to reach out to the global market. Particularly, businesses need to see that, in the digital economy era, intellectual property is not just a certificate of ownership but a factor that constitutes the core value of the business. Knowing how to identify, protect, and exploit intellectual property effectively will be the key to helping Vietnamese goods affirm their position on the international trade map.
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